The Westfield Police Department issued an alert Dec. 8 regarding fraudulent calls from individuals claiming to be affiliated with the WPD. The WPD wants citizens to know that its employees do not call individuals to threaten them about missed court dates, and the WDP will not request to collect fines over the phone.

The scammers are able to make it appear that the phone numbers match with those of the WPD so that a caller ID may display Westfield Police Department. For this reason, the WPD asks Westfield residents not to provide personal information or make any payments over the phone without verifying that the call is legitimate.

Instead, the WPD instructs recipients of any such call to hang up, call the WPD dispatch at 317-773-1300 and speak to the dispatcher to verify whether or not a call was legitimate.

“Your safety and security are our top priorities,” the WPD stated in an online release. “We appreciate your vigilance and cooperation in helping us combat these fraudulent activities. Together we can keep the community safe.”

Anyone with information regarding these scams should contact the WPD at the number above.